Timer



July 6, 1926. 1,591,807,

F.7DE cARDY TIMER Filed'August 1,- 1924 ,"vym

Fatented- July 6, 1926.

UNITED FREDA mi CARDI, orl CnrCAeo, rnnrnors, Assrelvon. To. WHITE nnAss CAsrInes Co., or CHICAGQ, ILLINos, A CORPORATION or Irimnols. i i

TIMER.

Application fried August 1, 1924. serial No, 729,449..

My invention relates to` circuit making; and breaking` or spark distributing devices adapted for use in connection with theA innition circuits of internal combustion engines Q1 forl distributing the spark to the cylinders Cil thereof, and more particularly to a novel timer and timer-brush.

As is Vwell known in the art, it has become the practice toy distribute the ignition spark in internal combustion engines through a movingr or rotating' contact member or brush arranged for successive electrical contact with adjustable stationary contacts of a track in circuit with the spark producing' means at the engine cylinder. While my present invention Vis especially directed to e novel spark distributing' device or timer including"- a rotor having' a brush for movement into successive electrical contact with the stationary contacts of the track or stator arranged within the casing;i orshell ofthe timer, as used in .connection with interna-l conibustion engines and .especially as applied to automobiles, it is to be understood that the invention is adapted for other uses and in different relations.

lt is an object of my invention to improve the functioninniV of devices of this sort, and with this in view the invention embodies and embraces a novel electrical contact between the movable Contact making member or rotor and the stationary contacts or terminals; novel means for holding the movable contact member` or brush in yielding' relation or contact with the stationary contacts or terminals; to provide a device which will operate effectively,smoothly and conn tinuously withoutthe necessity of supplying oil thereto4 and which will not be harmed by the oil working in from the cam shaft of the timer, thus overcoming the objections previously caused` by the presence of oil in the timer casing' in timers as heretofore constructed.

rlhe invention also has for its object the provision of a novel spark distributing' device in which wear may occur without being detrimental. to the 'making vof Contact be# tween the contact surfaces; to provide a track lhavingijcontacts so arranged that the brush is at yall times in contactl with metal and uneven wear of the track surface the relatively stationary terminals ofV contacts owing to its composite ,structure of metal, such copper, 'and insulating material.

such as fiber, prevented, and whereby a better ground for the rotor or movable, contact making' or. brush member is obtained through the adjustable timer shell or casing constituting the stator, than is obtained 4throiurh the, timer or. cam shaft; to provide a novel rotor havingr means for` excluding" andy deiecting oil from along the timer shaft and the contact making surfaces of the timer sol as to eliminate the objectionable results produced by the presence of oil within the timer casing; to providea novel movable contac or brush and mounting or socket therefor grounded through the rotor to the timer or cam shaft and having); simple and novel spring' means for yieldably maintaining' the brush in engagement with the stationary cont-acts of the track whereby a positive electrical connection is established 'at all times and uniformity of wear provided for.

It is .also an object ofthe invention to provide a. sparl'i distributing device or timer which is simple and inexpensive, being:r constructed ofA a few simple `parts which may be economically manufactured and readily assembled or dismantled for repair and replacement, in conjunction with the shell or casing; structure having; a. detachable cap permitting' convenient inspection of the working parts of thev timer, as well ras producing a timer having' structural ysuperior- .ity and functional advantage over the yspark distributing devices or timers of the 4prior art while also providing a spark distributingr device adapted for use with various sta tionary terminal arrangements now ou the market.

In order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructinggl and employing my invention, I shall now describe, in connection with the accon'ngianying drawings, a particular en'ibodimeut of the invention and/the manner of its use.

ln1 the drawingsz- Figli is a front elevation showing;` a timer of my invention and mounting thereof in connection with the spark distributing system Aofen automobile vof well known ma "Figf 2` is a transverse sectional view through a timer embodying my invention,

tion'line 2-'2 ofFig. 3:

Fig. 3 1s a longitudinal sectional view taken o n the plane' of the section line 3 8 taken substantially on the plane the secannular flange or disc 28 slightly smaller infV cia-meter than the internal diameter or opening-"of the insulating ring 17 and having its inner face adjacent the periphery beveled or lflared outwardly toward the wall 7 as indicated at 29, so that any oil which linde its way along the shaft il and escapes between the shoulder formed thereon, as indicated at 30, and the adjacent end ot the sleeve 27 projecting inwardly :from the disc 28, will be checkedand" thrown outwardly by centriiugal actionl away from the contact making surfaces of the timer and ring 17 thereof.

At its outer end, the sleeve 27 which is mounted on the adjacent reduced end portion oi:` the timer or cam shaft 1l, as showin i provided with a longitudinal countersunk slot 3l for the reception of the usual headed pin or set screw 32 which extends into the reduced end of the shaft l1 and iixes the sleeve 27 andk disc 2S carried there-by ioi rotation with the shaft. A ferrule or iianged collar 33 is mounted over the outer end ot the sleeve 27 to take up end thrust, and

` this collar or ferrule, together with the rotor or spark distributing member, is secured against displacement from the shait ll by means of the usual securing member or end nut and Washer 34. It is to be understood that the cominutator or timer shaft ll is,

properly connected to be driven by the engine.

A socket 35 is carried by the disc 28 to extend radially from the sleeve 27, and is preferably stamped from sheet metal to provide a structure of channel or U-shaped cross section open at its ends and straddling the opposite shoulders of a thickened portion 36 formed on the disc 28 at its outer face, so as to cooperate with the disc to form a contact or brush carrying socket. This socket is suitably attached to the disc and as shown, is clipped' thereto, being formed at its edges with ears 37 extended through spaced parallel ASlots 38 in the disc 28 and bent at right angles against the inner face thereof, as seen more particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings. It will also be observed that the inner end, oi the socket is concave to conform to the sleeve 27 and the outer end is likewise arcuate, but cut on a convex curve to conform to the interior curvature of the ring and contacts carried by the latter. The disc 2S beneath the socket 35 is formed with a radial slot 39 and one or both sides of the socket are provided with longitudinal slots Ll() which extend radially as does the socket and which are disposed in registry.

A movable contact or brush il is slidably mounted in the socket 35 for radial movement rectilineally oi' the socket and has its inner and outer endsv cut concavely and conveXly as is the socket and for the same purpose. This brush is preferably. but not necessarily, of: the gauze type and provider.. with a transverse opening @registering with tlic slots 40. yThe contact or brush 411 is suitably grounded,` being preferably slotted vertically of, its inner end and having a ground wire 43 connected thereto, as indicated at 44:. This `ground wire or pig tail is extended through the slot 39' and then through an opening or hole in the disc at one side of the socket from the inner i'ace of the disc and has its free end anchored around a binding screw i6 secured in a threadedv aperture in a thickened portion of the disc, which latter is preferably formed with ay circular boss on. one side `for this purpose, as indicated at 47, on the inner side ci the disc in Fig. 1i.

As illustrated, the brush il is of non-cin cular or polygonal cross section to conform to the cross section or opening of the socket 35 for receiving the brush 'for free moveinent therein, so that the brush is held against turning movement in the socket and the ground wire or pig tail 43 permits the necessary movement oir' the brush, to ground the contacts 22 and engage the contacts 23 as the brush is moved into successive engagement therewith alternately. A shoulder or boss 48 is formed upon the outer face of the disc 28 substantially tangentir. ly to the sleeve 27 and parallel with and slightly spaced from the inner end oi the socket and brush, and a helical or coiled wire spring 49 secured on a Vscrew or post 50 threaded in a hole in the disc or otherwiseseculed thereto to project at right angles in a sleeve 5l, serves to hold the movable contact or brush il in yieldable relation with `respect to the inner periphery or surface of the ring i7 and the stationary contacts and 23 providing the track therein. As stated, the spring is mounted on the sleeve 51 and retained in position by the head of the screw while one arm of the spring extends through a slot l0 and into the yopening 4t2 of the movable Contact or brush 41 and termina-tes in a curved portion or hook 52, the curvature being in the longitudinal dimension or' the arm to provide a positive connection capable of resisting wear and prevent disengagement oi the arm from its operative connection with the relatively movable contact 'or brush. The other arm of the spring bears against the shoulder i8 to hold the spring under tension whereby the opposite arm will `hold the brush in proper yieldable relation with respect to the insulating ring i7 and the contacts 22 and 23 seated therein. This spring gives the proper degree o1" tension to urge the brush into proper relation with respect to the terminals or contacts 22 and 23 and to insure positive contact without too much force such as would otherwise decrease the life of the timer, especially in de 'ices heretoiore provided and in which the exerting force 'was too great in attempting to overcome the objectionable results produced by the presence ot oil in the timer. rl`his construction permits the device to operate continuously and e'i'liciently with a minimum of wear and without the necessity of supplying,` oil to the timer as has heretofore been customary. The device also eliminates the necessity of providing spring' actuated rollers which require frequent oiling or other parts which are apt to get out oit working order. Furthern'iore, the formation et the brush at its outer end will produce a wiping surface contact upon movement of the brush into successive engagement with the terminals or contacts Q2 and Q3, instead otl a line Contact such as that had with the contact making' rollers ot the prior art. @t course, it is understood that when the brush or relatively movable Contact Lll engages the contacts which are relatively stationary, but adjustable with the shell ot the timer to advance or retard the spark, as is customary, that the circuit will be co1npleted through the terminals or stems and wires connected thereto, to distribute the spark in properly timed relation to the spark producing means or spark plugs ot the engine cylinders. During' this time, the circuit is grounded through the ground wire or pig tail 43, sleeve 27 and shaft il to the engine trame 7. However, the brush ll is sufficiently wide to bridge the liber gaps or portions between the contacts 22 and at adjacent ends, and in this case, the circuit is completed through the contacts 22 and grounded through the contacts 2, stems or shanks 26 and shell (l to the engine trame 7 in addition to the means heretofore described. 'Vhen the brush is outot engagei'nent with the contacts it merely engages the contacts 23 forming `sgromids lior the circuitso that the latter is broken. However, the brush is constantly engaging metal in the inner surface ot the ring 17 and this provides :tor smoother running` and uniform wear, especially in view ot the tact that the brush bridges adjacent ends oli the contacts 22 and 28 and more particularly seen in Fie: 2 ot' the drawings.

lt will be observed that the inner end ot socket or housing' 35 termine; a guide means il'or the contact member or brush 4:1, which latter is preferably ot wire gauze ot copper and graphite to supply the necessary lubrication. is spaced .trom the hub or sleeve portion 27 so that when the brush moves inwardly, the inner end thereof extends taugentially to the hub 2T with openings or slots enlarging towards the sides between the hub and the inner end of the socket whereby any foreign matter or grease is 'forced out therethrough, well as through the slots 39 and 0 during the movementot the brush member or contact Lil, thereby preventing the socket from clogging up and in.-

terilering; with the free and unrestrained movements oit the tontact member or brush Lll. In this manner, positive outward tension on the contact member or brush is insured so that the same will positively engage with the contacts ot the casing or shell and ring therein, as well as free inward movement without 'friction or restraint due to tor/eign mattei' or grease cloggingl in the socket such as would occur where the same is closed at the inner end and on the sides` such as where the socket is formed integral with the sleeve or hub 27 and is therelorc closed at its inner end.

liVhile I have described my invention in connection with the details ot' a particular embodiment, l do not intend thereby to limit the invention to certaiiii details, as l am aware and contemplate that modi'lieations and changes may be made to adapt the inveution ttor use under various conditions without departing trom the essential aspects oi the invention which are set out in the appended claims.

claim i. A timer including a sleeve, a disc projecting radially from the sleeve, a sheet metal socket clipped on the disc, a brush slidable in the socket and having an opening, and a wire spring mounted on the disc having' one end ai chored against movement by a lug termed on said disc and the other end extending` into the opening,l ot the brush to exert tension upon the brush.

2. A timer brush including;l a disc, sleeve on the disc, a sheet metal socket having;` ears extended through slots in the disc and bent against one tace oit the latter to secure the socket in position, the socket having` a slot therethrough, a brush slidable in the socket and having an openingadjacent the slot ot the socket, a cylindrical boss on the disc. a coiled spring` retained on the cylindrical boss and having one arm engagin a. shoulder on the disc and the other arm engaging' the opening,- in the brush through the slot ot the socket to exert tension on the brush.

3. ln a timer brush, a sleeve, a disc on Jdie sleeve having a radial slot therein and slots at either side thereoii. a socket ot rectangular cross section having7 ears ei'igaged through the last named slots and bent in Contact with the tace ot the disc to retain the socket thereon, a brush movable axially only in the socketv` a pig tail =ejround connection between the inner end ot the brush and the disc and extending' through the lat ter, and a two arm springmounted on the disc and havingone arm fixed thereon and the other engaging the brush to hold the lat ter uncer tension.

.5t timer including a sleeve, a disc proins' radially from the sleeve, zJ sheetmetvL on the disc and having slots in its "Walls and its inner end spaced from the periphery of the Sleeve, a brush Slideble in the socket, zt hollon7 cylindrical boss threaded internally from the face of the dise, a two anni coiled spring mounted on the hoes Ieind having one erin engaging a shoulder on the disc and its other arm extending through a slot in the socket and into an openingl of the brush to exert outward tension on the latter, and a screw engaged in the threaded boss to retain the spring thereon.

A timer including e sleeve7 a sheet metal socket having a slot, e spring having a helical portion and :i pair of Suid free ends being in Suid Socket and the other free end hcing retained by a projection on said sleeve, Said helical Aportion being pivotally mounted and positioned substantially centrally between smid free ends to prevent the end of the spring in the slot from slipping out therefrom.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my naine this 28 day of July, 1924.

` FRED DE CARDY.

guided hy the slot` or' free ends, one 1 

